Leslie Cyril "Les" Gosling

Cyril Gosling in Malta, summer 1943 from the book "Black Crosses off My Wingtip" By I.F."Hap" Kennedy

Paralyzing Blows Dealt Enemy In Air Raids on Sicily, Sardinia;
Thirty German Fighters Downed

Italy's Outpost Islands Are Hammered Hard
Messina Is Shaken With Total Weight of 375,000 Pounds of Bombs
Allied Headquarters in North Africa, July 6.—(AP) — Allied air forces which shot down 30 German fighters, struck paralyzing blows at Axis resistance yesterday in battles for air supremacy over Sicily and Sardinia, it was announced today. The smashing aerial offensive against the Italian outpost islands went through its third straight day with bombers roaring over Gerbini, Marsala, Licata, Sciacca and Catania in Sicily and Villacidro in Sardinia all of them bases for the defending Axis aerial fleets.
Down 42 in 24 Hours
In 24 hours ending yesterday, 42 enemy planes were shot down, against a loss of 12 Allied planes, it was stated officially.
Allied headquarters announced five planes had been destroyed by Malta aircraft - two by a Canadian, Flt. L.C. Gosling, D.F.C., of North Battleford, Sask. and coastal squadrons had downed two more

__________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

GOSLING, F/O Leslie Cyril (J9359) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.229 Squadron -
Award effective 16 June 1943 as per London Gazette dated 18 June 1943 and
AFRO 1459/43 dated 30 July 1943 and
August 17 by the Globe and Mail which states "since reported missing"

This officer has completed a very large number of sorties including attacks on airfields, port installations and industrial targets. In air combat he has destroyed four enemy aircraft and damaged others. In one engagement he shot down two Junkers 88 which were escorting two merchant vessels. This officer has displayed great skill and keenness, setting a fine example.

__________________________________________________

CANADIAN KIDS DEAL OUT DEATH

Flyers From Malta Keep Up Stern Warfare Against Axis
Valetta, Malta, July 14.—(CP Cable)—Led by a sharpshooting team, the Canadian Kids of the Malta flying garrison blasted more enemy planes from the sky Tuesday over Sicily as the R.A.F. maintained its relentless drive against Axis attempts to hamper the Allied invasion,
From dawn to dusk Allied fighters destroyed 22 enemy planes against a loss of only two Spitfires.
Flt.-Lt. Leslie Gosling, D.F.C., North Battleford, Sask., and Sqdn.-Ldr. George Hill, Pictou, N.S., continued their meteoric climb with a double kill each during the last 24 hours. Gosling brought his total up to 11 enemy aircraft downed.
Among the other Canadians prominent in Tuesday's battles were F.O. George Keith, Taber, Alta., and F.O. Reginald Morris, Windsor, Ont., both of whom made double claims.
Hill, who only Monday returned to the squadron after being forced down behind British lines at Sicily, destroyed a Focke Wulf 190 for a total of 13 since joining the R.C.A.F. Gosling shot down an ME109 after a duel with the enemy pilot. It was his fifth enemy plane in a week and doubled his previous total.

_________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Canadian Airmen Maintain Record For Double Kills

Valetta, Malta, July 15. - (CP Cable)—Canadians engaged in the unceasing air war over Sicily from bases here maintained their record for double kills yesterday, although the air fighting tapered off from the blistering pace set earlier in the week.
F.O. George Keith, of Taber, Alta., destroyed a Messerschmitt 109 and shared in the destruction of a second with an English squadron mate. F.O. Bennet Clarke, of Edmonton, was credited with a probable after a fight with an Italian machine.
Sgt. William Hockey, of Kentville, N.S.; F.O. John Stock, of Ottawa, and P.O. W. J. Anderson, of Woodlawn, Ont., were all credited with damaging one each.
Starting the Canadians off in their quest for double kills in this area this week were Squadron-Ldr. George Hill, D.F.C. and Bar, of Pictou, NS. and Flight-Lieut. Leslie Gosling, D.F.C., of North Battleford, Sask., who brought down a quartet of German planes Tuesday. Hill, one of the top fighters in the R.C.A.F., brought his total of planes downed to 13, while Gosling jumped his score to 11.
F.O. Keith was also a double scorer earlier in the week, bringing down a couple Tuesday. Yesterday's count gave him a total of 3½planes for a 48-hour period.

________________________________________________________

Dunlap Leads Bomber Wing From Canada in Sicily Fight

Ottawa, July 18 (CP)—Group Capt. C. R. Dunlap of Vancouver is In command of the R.C.A.F. Wellington bomber wing which is helping soften the Axis defenses on Sicily, the R.C.A.F. announced Saturday.
The headquarters statement said the Canadian bomber men based in North Africa and a Malta-based Canadian Spitfire squadron have won "special commendation" from Maj.-Gen. James Doolittle, Commander of the North African strategical air force.
Among new Canadian aces is Sqdn. Ldr. George Hill, D.F.C. and Bar, o£ Pictou, N.S., who scored a double “kill” this week and raised his total to 13 destroyed. He was forced down twice in two days and both times returned to combat.
Another top scorer is Flt. Lt. Leslie Cyril Gosling, D.F.C., of North Battleford, Sask., who destroyed five aircraft in the seven days ended Tuesday, bringing his total score since posting to Malta to 10 enemy aircraft.

_______________________________________________________

GOSLING, F/L Leslie Cyril, DFC (J9359) - Bar to DFC - No.229 Squadron
Award effective 18 July 1943 as per London Gazette dated 17 August 1943 and
AFRO 2005/dated 1 October 1943.

This officer has taken part in a very large number of sorties in the Middle East and in recent operations over Sicily. He has fought with great skill and determination and within a short period has shot down five enemy aircraft. Flight Lieutenant Gosling has led his flight and at times the squadron with great ability. He has destroyed nine hostile aircraft.

_______________________________________________________

Air Casualties

Ottawa, Aug. 26 (M.—The R.C.A.F. in its 664th casualty list of the war, containing 15 names, reported tonight that five men were killed on active service overseas, seven are missing on active service after air operations and three men previously missing on active service now is reported a prisoner of war in Germany.
Following is the latest list of casualties with neat-of-kin:
GOSLING, Leslie Cyril, D.F.C., Flt. Lt., missing on active service after air operations overseas. P.S. Gosling (father), North Battleford, Sask.

____________________________________________________

Photo PL-10188  shows him

--- Canadian Aces ---